What problems are you having with Device::SerialPort? This example code from the 'Tied Filehandles' section of the manual looks like what you describe - tie the serial port then use getc. 
$PortObj = tie (*FH, 'Device::SerialPort',$Config_File) || die "Can't 
+tie: $!\n";
$char = getc FH;

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Hope this helps.

In reply to Re: Reading serial port byte by byte... by benn
in thread Reading serial port byte by byte... by accidue

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